A 39-year-old Los Alamos man was killed in a motorcycle accident on Interstate 25 Thursday morning.

According to a Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Hot Sheet, Mark Carrara was driving northbound when he tried to pass a 2011 white Chevy driven by Chris Ramoz of Santa Fe.

According to the report, Ramoz was in the outside lane near mile marker 294 near Apache Canyon directly in front of Carrara, who failed to properly judge the closing speed and then attempted to pass on the outside shoulder.

Carrara, who was wearing a helmet, then lost control of his motorcycle, struck the guard rail and then vaulted over the guard rail. Carrara was dead at the scene due to head trauma, according to Joe McLaughlin of the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department.

The riderless motorcycle kept going and hit Ramoz’s vehicle. Ramoz and his passenger were uninjured in the crash.

The sheriff’s department said alcohol did not play a role in the crash and Ramoz was not cited.

Los Alamos National Laboratory spokesperson Nancy Ambrosiano confirmed that Carrara was an employee at the lab. She said Carrara worked in the X-Theoretical Design Division and was a member of the safety and surety group.

Mark Carrara Memorial Fund

Carrara was a husband to a teacher at Aspen Elementary School. A memorial fund has been set up at the Los Alamos National Bank to help his family in this time of need. It's named the "Mark Carrara Memorial Fund", and all donors have to do is notify their teller they would like to make a donation.